Failure to Communicate
by whoa nellie
Summary: Just how well did Jack Crusher's proposal go over at the time? This vignette is part of a series of vignettes looking at the life and times of Jack Crusher.


Title: Failure to Communicate

Author: Whoa Nellie TNG

Rating: PG

Codes: Jack/Beverly

Summary: Just how well did Jack Crusher's proposal go over at the time? This vignette is part of a series of vignettes looking at the life and times of Jack Crusher. The vignettes were all written in response to challenges on the fanfiction forum at Trekbbs. The theme of this vignette was 'Misunderstanding' and the PG version was originally posted to Trekbbs on March 22, 2006.

Author's Notes: Feel free to archive to any pertinent site. This doesn't fit into any Whoa Nellie universes.

Acknowledgements: Paramount owns all the marbles, we just have a lot more fun playing with them.

Feedback is always appreciated, posted or e-mail.

FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE

With a flourish, Jack presented Beverly with a bouquet of red roses. "Congratulations, honey, you deserved to win; you danced beautifully out there tonight. You were just incredible."

"Thank you," she replied, accepting the flowers and his congratulatory kiss. "And thank you for sitting through hours of tap and jazz, it was very sweet of you to be here with me."

Hand in hand they strolled down the street toward the transport station. "Would you think any less of me if I told you how wonderfully you jiggle when you tap dance?"

Beverly laughed. "So that's why you enjoy watching me dance. But, you still get points for sitting through all of those other performances--unless you enjoy watching the men tap."

"No, I can't say I enjoyed the men's performances and before you even ask about the other women who competed here, I only had eyes for you," he vowed dramatically as he drew their linked hands up to kiss the back of her hand. He allowed her to precede him into the station for transport back to San Francisco. An entire day of watching tap and jazz performers from throughout the Federation all assembled in St. Louis for a big competition wasn't exactly how he'd planned to spend the day; but watching Beverly doing something she loved was breath-taking and it was important to her which made it worthwhile.

Walking out into the cool, San Francisco night, she spun around to walk backward without missing a step and trusting that Jack wouldn't let her hit anything. "Your quarters or mine?"

"Mine, I have something there for you."

Beverly brushed her cheek against the soft, rose petals. "You've already given me these."

"Well, I have something else that I want to give you," he insisted, his eyes twinkling. He wanted this to be special; he'd spent long hours trying to find a truly memorable way to do this. He'd been nervous all day, worried about how she'd feel after the competition. When she took first place, he'd been as excited for her as he was thrilled that she'd be in a good mood for what he wanted to do. The circumstances would never be any better than they were tonight.

That was all he'd say about it, but his obvious excitement had Beverly worked up by the time they arrived at his quarters. Her head was already spinning from the events of the day and the whole day was starting to take on a surreal feeling. She started looking around the instant the lights came on, searching for a clue as to what his surprise was and hoping that it included a very small box. When Walker had first introduced her to Jack, she'd barely even liked him. He was sweet and friendly, pleasant company but there just hadn't been any chemistry. It was only over time that she realized there was something deeper than a spark developing with him. She was in love with Jack Crusher; somehow, without meaning to, she had grown to adore everything about him.

He led her over to the couch and sat her down, gesturing for her to stay there. "Close your eyes." He hurried into the bedroom, struggling a little with the bottom drawer of the dresser in his haste to open it. The box was right where he'd left it. He took a deep breath to calm himself before walking back into the main room to re-join Beverly. Gently laying the box on her lap, he sat down beside her.

"Can I open my eyes now?" she asked, already realizing that the box was too big and too heavy to be what she'd suspected.

"Yes, and the box," he said.

Beverly couldn't help but smile at the look of boyish excitement on his face as she untied the ribbon on the box. He was so cute. She lifted the lid off and peeked down into the box. "It's a book."

"Yes."

"It's a book titled 'How to Advance Your Career Through Marriage'," she said.

Waiting for her to understand what he was asking was excruciating. "So?"

Her usually quick tongue and acerbic wit failed her completely; she couldn't think of a thing to say. Shoving the box with the book off her lap, she stormed out. Tears stung her eyes but she resolutely refused to give in to them. She didn't go directly back to her quarters, instead walking along the streets alternating between fury and despair at the turn of events. She wanted to share her life with him and he was proposing a mutually beneficial business merger complete with an instruction manual. She'd never really thought of herself as the 'hearts and flowers', romantic type--her childhood had taught her the value of practicality above all else, but that was the least romantic marriage proposal she'd ever heard. It was well into the early morning hours before she wearily returned to her quarters and found Jack sitting on the floor in front of her door.

"You forgot your trophy and flowers," he said quietly. He looked for all the world like a whipped puppy.

"Thank you," she replied in a clipped tone. Opening the door, she tossed everything onto the first hard surface she passed on her way in.

He stood up and followed her. "Beverly, please." When she wouldn't turn around, he grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her to face him. Lifting her up, he sat her on the table with his arms on either side of her to keep her from slipping away. He wasn't going to risk her getting away before he'd had a chance to explain. "I'm sorry, it was supposed to be funny."

"The idea of marrying me is a joke?"

Leaning in, his lips brushed against hers in a tacit apology. He pulled back and caressed her cheek softly. "No, the book was supposed to be a funny way of broaching the subject of marriage. Beverly, I love you. You're so warm and loving, an unbelievable woman in so many ways and I can't believe that you want me. You're such a private person; it took me a long time to get past that wall and still it's hard for me to tell how you feel about things. I saw that book and the title made me think of you, of all the reasons I had for marrying you--and no, advancing my career is not even on the list. I just thought that if I gave you practical reasons why marrying me would be good for you, that . . . I'm messing this all up, I wanted it to be a memorable night that we could laugh about when we tell our grandkids about it."

Beverly let out a long, tired sigh and nuzzled the crook of his shoulder; talk about a colossal communications breakdown. "It still might be a memorable night that we laugh about later."

"Really?"

Pulling back to meet his hopeful gaze, she shrugged. "Do you have something you want to ask me?"

"The way I should have asked you earlier," he replied, nodding yes. He dropped to one knee and took her hand in his. "Oh, wait a second." He reached into his pocket but his kneeling position made it difficult to get the box out. When he started to look down, his forehead slammed into the edge of the table.

She couldn't help herself, the emotional turmoil of the past several hours combined with the absurdity of the situation was just too much and she burst into laughter. "Yes, okay, yes, before you do any more damage tonight, I accept. I will marry you. I love you, Jack Crusher."

He stood, drawing the box out of his pocket and handed it to her, not trusting his trembling fingers to put the ring on her finger without dropping it or breaking her finger. "I'll never know how an incredible, graceful woman like you could love an oaf like me, but--"

Beverly cut him off with a passionate kiss. She backed toward her bed, grateful that her roommate was gone for the weekend. "I won't have my future husband insulted like that. You're a sweet, wonderful man and I adore you."

Relief flooded through him and he began pulling open the buttons of her blouse. "Let me make this a memorable night in another way."

FINIS


End file.
